This is the world's best selling smartphone, Samsung is also famous, see which phones are included in the top 10 list

Every smartphone user wants to know which phone is running on top or which people like the most. According to the report of Counterpoint Research’s Global Handset Model Sales Tracker, Apple’s iPhone 16 became the world’s most popular smartphone in Q3 2025.

Apple and Samsung together took five spots each in the top-10, and models from these two companies covered about 20% of the total smartphone shipments this quarter. The special thing is that this time the top 5 positions were completely taken by 5G smartphones, which is a new record for Q3.

Global success of iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16 retained the first position with 4% market share, and this is the third consecutive quarter when it has become the best-selling phone. Strong festive season demand in India and recovery in Japan supported sales of this model, while the launch of the iPhone 17 series typically leads to seasonal declines.

iPhone 16 Pro models saw a slight decline in key markets like the US, UK, and China, but the standard iPhone 16 remained strong. Apple placed iPhone 17 Pro Max at tenth position in the top-10.

It became the best-selling model in September 2025, thanks to the COVID-era upgrade cycle and new camera features like 48MP sensor, ProRes RAW, GenLock, and 8x optical-zoom. A19 Pro chip and better cooling have further strengthened the performance of the phone.

Strengths of Samsung Galaxy A series
Samsung achieved its five top-10 positions with Galaxy A series models. Galaxy A16 5G was the best selling Android model. Mid-range devices like Galaxy A36 and A56 received more demand due to AI features, better night camera and fast charging.

LTE models like the Galaxy A16 4G and Galaxy A06 are still popular in markets like Latin America and MEA, where demand for 4G devices is high.

With the increasing popularity of GenAI features in mid-range smartphones, it is expected that this segment will remain strong in the top-10. As their capabilities expand, the gap between mid-tier and flagship user experiences is narrowing, providing better value to users.

Top 10 best selling smartphones of Q3 2025